Opening

1
Opening Middle Closing Texture in Mark
1228-34

• Lecture by Vernon K. Robbins

Produced by Sam Bradford
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Opening Middle Closing Texture in Mark
1228-34

• Lecture by Vernon K. Robbins

Produced by Sam Bradford
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Review of Socio-Rhetorical Termsclick links to
explore Socio-Rhetorical terms

• Opening-Middle-Closing Texture
• SR online dictionary definition
• SR audio files
• Inner Texture
• SR online dictionary definition
• SR audio files
• Narrational Texture
• SR online dictionary definition
• SR audio files
• No Audio

6
Mark 1228-34Story of the ScribeFOR YOU TO
READ, IF YOU WISH

• 28 One of the scribes came near and heard them
  disputing with one another, and seeing that he
  answered them well, he asked him, Which
  commandment is the first of all?
• 29 Jesus answered, The first is, Hear,
  O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is one
• 30 you shall love the Lord your God with all
  your heart, and with all your soul, and with all
  your mind, and with all your strength.
• 31 The second is this, You shall love your
  neighbour as yourself. There is no other
  commandment greater than these.
• No Audio

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Story of the Scribe continuedFOR YOU TO READ, IF
YOU WISH

• 32 Then the scribe said to him, You are right,
  Teacher you have truly said that he is one, and
  besides him there is no other
• 33 and to love him with all the heart, and with
  all the understanding, and with all the
  strength, and to love ones neighbour as
  oneself,this is much more important than all
  whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.
• 34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he
  said to him, You are not far from the kingdom of
  God. After that no one dared to ask him any
  question.
• No Audio

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Guidelines for Formatting Interpretations

• Passage involving someone questioning Jesus
• Set up into columns of Opening Middle Closing
  of Text
• (keep in mind there can be OMC to any one
  section)
• Strategy Determine Opening and Closing before
  the Middle
• Open to Interpretation!!

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Interpretation 1 Scribe as center of attention
OPENING
MIDDLE
CLOSING

• 28 One of the scribes came near and heard them
  disputing with one another, and seeing that he
  answered them well, he asked him, Which
  commandment is the first of all?
• 29 Jesus answered, The first is, Hear,
  O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is one
• 30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your
  heart, and with all your soul, and with all your
  mind, and with all your strength.
• 31 The second is this, You shall love your
  neighbour as yourself. There is no other
  commandment greater than these.

34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he
said to him, You are not far from the kingdom of
God. After that no one dared to ask him any
question.
32 Then the scribe said to him, You are right,
Teacher you have truly said that he is one, and
besides him there is no other 33 and to love
him with all the heart, and with all the
understanding, and with all the strength, and
to love ones neighbour as oneself,this is
much more important than all whole
burnt-offerings and sacrifices.
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Interpretation 1 continued opening middle
closing of the middle

• OPENING 32 Then the scribe said to him,
• MIDDLE You are right, Teacher you have truly
  said that he is one, and besides him there is no
  other 33 and to love him with all the heart,
  and with all the understanding, and with all the
  strength, and to love ones neighbour as
  oneself,
• CLOSING this is much more important than all
  whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.

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Summary View of Interpretation 1
OPENING
MIDDLE
CLOSING

• 28 One of the scribes came near and heard them
  disputing with one another, and seeing that he
  answered them well, he asked him, Which
  commandment is the first of all?
• 29 Jesus answered, The first is, Hear,
  O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is one
• 30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your
  heart, and with all your soul, and with all your
  mind, and with all your strength.
• 31 The second is this, You shall love your
  neighbour as yourself. There is no other
  commandment greater than these.

32 Then the scribe said to him, You are right,
Teacher you have truly said that he is one, and
besides him there is no other 33 and to love
him with all the heart, and with all the
understanding, and with all the strength, and
to love ones neighbour as oneself,this is
much more important than all whole
burnt-offerings and sacrifices.
34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he
said to him, You are not far from the kingdom of
God. After that no one dared to ask him any
question.
Implications Emphasis on the scribe, the middle
section Surrounded by question to and answer from
Jesus
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Interpretation 2 Jesus answer as center
OPENING
MIDDLE
CLOSING
29 Jesus answered, The first is, Hear,
O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is one 30
you shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart, and with all your soul, and with all your
mind, and with all your strength. 31 The
second is this, You shall love your neighbour as
yourself. There is no other commandment greater
than these.
32 Then the scribe said to him, You are right,
Teacher you have truly said that he is one, and
besides him there is no other 33 and to love
him with all the heart, and with all the
understanding, and with all the strength, and
to love ones neighbour as oneself,this is
much more important than all whole
burnt-offerings and sacrifices. 34 When Jesus
saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, You
are not far from the kingdom of God. After that
no one dared to ask him any question.

• 28 One of the scribes came near and heard them
  disputing with one another, and seeing that he
  answered them well, he asked him, Which
  commandment is the first of all?

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Interpretation 2 continued

• OMC divisions to the Opening section and Closing
  section
• OPENING
• O- One of the scribes came near NARRATION
• M- and heard them disputing with one another and
  seeing that he answered them well, JESUS
• C- he asked him, Which commandment is the first
  of all? SCRIBE
• CLOSING
• O- 32 Then the scribe said to him, You are
  right, Teacher you have truly said that he is
  one, and besides him there is no other SCRIBE
• 33 and to love him with all the heart, and with
  all the understanding, and with all the
  strength, and to love ones neighbour as
  oneself,this is much more important than all
  whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.
• M- 34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he
  said to him, You are not far from the kingdom of
  God. JESUS
• C- After that no one dared to ask him any
  question. NARRATION
• Closing structure is an inversion of the opening
  structure in terms of speaker
• Relation to Wisdom Rhetorolect, Emphasis on
  Jesus answer to the scribe

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Interpretation 3 lesson of loving your neighbor
as center
MIDDLE
CLOSING
OPENING
29 Jesus answered, The first is, Hear,
O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is one 30
you shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart, and with all your soul, and with all your
mind, and with all your strength. 31 The
second is this, You shall love your neighbour as
yourself. There is no other commandment greater
than these. 32 Then the scribe said to him,
You are right, Teacher you have truly said that
he is one, and besides him there is no other
33 and to love him with all the heart, and with
all the understanding, and with all the
strength, and to love ones neighbour as
oneself,this is much more important than all
whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.
34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he
said to him, You are not far from the kingdom of
God. After that no one dared to ask him any
question.

• 28 One of the scribes came near and heard them
  disputing with one another, and seeing that he
  answered them well, he asked him, Which
  commandment is the first of all?

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Progressive Texture in Interpretations 2 and 3

• scribes came near not far to Jesus ? coming
  near the Kingdom of God
• Getting closer, but not yet entering the kingdom
  of God, by engaging Jesus
• Repetitive Texture repetition of Lord and
  God
• Does not occur until Middle and Closing, only
  when scribe is near to Jesus ? Theological
  Progression

Interpretation 2 Builds in length or crescendos into final conclusion
Interpretation 3 Balance in Opening and Closing, Climatic Middle
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Good Form!

• You have reached the end of the lesson studying
  the various interpretations of Opening-Middle-Clos
  ing Texture in Mark 1228-34
• Have a lovely day!